Iain Banks

Iain Menzies Banks writes mainstream novels as Iain Banks and science fiction as Iain M. Banks. He was born on February 16, 1954 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland; the son of an officer in the Admiralty and a mother who was once a professional ice skater. Banks studied English and Philosophy at the University of Stirling. Married in 1992, he lives currently in North Queensferry, a town on the north side of the Firth of Forth near the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge. His next book will be a mainstream one and is due for publication in September 2006.

Miscellany

Banks tends to produce a novel in around three months, working solidly, then take nine months off. In his leisure time, he has had flying lessons and records his own rock music.

Related Topics:
Novel - Rock music

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the wake of the release of his last book, The Algebraist in 2004 (a non-Culture novel), Banks has stated that he intends to write more Culture novels. However, as he intends to decrease the release of such books from one every 12 months to one every 18 months, the next Culture novel cannot be expected until sometime after 2006.

Related Topics:
The Algebraist - 2004 - Culture - 2006

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Although Banks generally confines his writing to his own novels, he has written occasional reviews for The Guardian newspaper and is a semi-regular music reviewer for Marc Riley's Rocket Science radio show on BBC 6 Music. He has been the subject of South Bank Show television programme broadcast on 16th November 1997, subtitled The Strange Worlds of Iain Banks which concentrated on his mainstream work. The Curse Of Iain Banks, a play written by Maxton Walker, was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1999, with Iain contributing as a voice on tape. He has appeared on the BBC's political discussion television programme Question Time.

Related Topics:
The Guardian - Marc Riley's - BBC 6 Music - South Bank Show - Edinburgh Fringe - BBC - Question Time

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While a student at Stirling University, Banks appeared as an extra in the final battle scene of the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which was filmed at the nearby Doune Castle.

Related Topics:
Stirling University - Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Doune Castle

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~